ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada's recovery from Tommy John surgery is expected to take a significant step forward next week.

Wada is slated to make one more start in extended spring training on Friday and after that he will likely be assigned to one of the team's minor-league affiliates to begin a rehab assignment.

On Friday, Wada will go between five and seven innings and throw about 80 pitches, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

"He looks good," Showalter said. "His pitch count was so low that he ended up going six innings his last time out."

Showalter said that Wada is throwing all of his pitches in extended sping. He added that he asked injured second baseman Brian Roberts, who is in Sarasota rehabbing a right hamstring injury, to scout Wada for him. He plans on getting feedback from Wilson Betemit and Taylor Teagarden -- two other Orioles on the DL -- as well.

"I was talking to different guys about him down there," Showalter said. "I had Brian Roberts go down there and scout it out for me. He had some interesting things to say. I’ll have Wilson have a look at him next time out, and then Teagarden."

Wada is on the Orioles' 60-day disabled list, so he won't likely return until early June.

Wada had Tommy John surgery last May and has been working to get back since. Signed to a two-year, $8.15 million contract before the 2012 season, he has yet to pitch for the Orioles in a regular season game.